Reflections on the glory and conflict associated with following Jesus Christ

Wednesday, February 2

My Deceitfulness Drains Me!

It is one of the strongest inducements to man's deceitful nature that somehow he thinks to profit by it. But that is NOT the case. Listen closely to David's wording in Psalm 32,

“Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah” (vv. 2–4)

Do you see it there? Blessed (happy) is the man . . . in whose spirit there is no deceit. First, what is deceit? According to my desktop dictionary, deceit is "the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth." Now, whenever we lie to others or to ourselves, we do so with the understanding that we will be the better for it. This must be so, otherwise why would we do it? OK, the Psalmist is saying that that man is truly happy not just because he does not deceive, but because it is not in him to do so. That is what it means when he says, "in whose spirit there is no deceit." It's not in his nature to do so. This man (or woman) is as true as the day is long. What they are in public, they are as well at home in the confines of their house. Their integrity does not allow them to be one thing here and another thing there.

Deceit Drains Us

Read on . . . For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. "When I kept silent," presumably, when he refused to admit his deceitfulness. He doesn't "come clean," but keeps up the ruse, living in the deceit. This, he affirms is what causes him to "waste away" internally. It eats up the one doing the deceiving. God created us for our hearts and minds to work in sympathetic unity. When they go at odds with one another, doing in practice what our minds know to be wrong, we invite internal warfare, an offended conscience, and eventually even physical illness. Yet, for so many this is their life! It is a shame, for we were designed for so much better . . . consonance, a peaceful union . . . rest.

What To Do?

The Psalm tells us. Confess it calling it what it is. NOTE: The worse thing to do is to continue on in your deceitful ways so long that after a while you grow to accept them as the norm. Then anyone who tries to tell you otherwise will seem to you to be completely wrong! Then once confessed, God will forgive, deliver, hide and preserve us. All these words are used to describe victory over deceitfulness.

Gladness Replaces Deep Sorrow

God will instruct us and counsel us and cause his steadfast love to surround us. Then the last verse closes out with the happiest of victories! “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! ” Now, who wouldn't want that kind of life as opposed to deceitfulness. Let us watch out that we do not subtly deceive ourselves. Pray that God would "lead in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." That's what it's really all about.

A Shepherd's Concerns

I have pastored Perry Baptist Church in Perry for 25 years and am passionate to lift up Jesus Christ as the all-satisfying Savior of the world. I am happily married to Phyllis (36 years). We have two grown children, Dave and Rachel (husband-Jay Short). The title, "CROSS Purposes" serves a dual aim: To declare the centrality of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for salvation, and to discuss the conflicts that arise in a world opposed to the gospel.
My education is varied: Bob Jones University (B.A., 1975), Bethel Seminary of the East (M.Div., 1990), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min., 2007).

C. H. Spurgeon Quotes

“It was the fear of man that caused Pilate’s name to become infamous in the history of the world and of the Church of God, and it will be infamous to all eternity. The fear of man led him to slay the Savior! Take care that it does not lead you to do something of the same kind.”—Volume 54, Sermon #3080

“Dear friend’s, let us exult in this relationship between Christ and His people! We are as weak and foolish and as full of needs as sheep can be, but we have a Shepherd who perfectly understands us, who so loves us that He will preserve to the end even the very least among us!”—Volume 54, Sermon #3088

“The invitations of the Gospel are invitations to happiness. In delivering God’s message, we do not ask men to come to a funeral, but to a wedding feast!”—Volume 54, Sermon #3086